Tribal Disenrollment In Indian Country Today is an IMMORAL Abuse of Tribal SovereigntyCORRUPT Councils Wield Sovereignty As a CLUB to BEAT the Weak and Destroy Native American Civil Rights in the Process

Friday, May 21, 2010

Letter To Department of Justice in Opposition to Glenda Nelson and Jack Potter Jr. for Tribal Nations Leadership Council

As a United States citizen, a registered voter, and a person concerned about the growing problem of civil rights violations in Indian Country, I am submitting this letter regarding several tribal leaders nominated to sit on the Tribal Nations Leadership Council.

I am especially outraged that Glenda Nelson of Enterprise and Jack Potter Jr. of Redding Rancheria have been nominated to the Tribal Nations Leadership Council, and I urge you to refuse to sit them as members of the Council.

Throughout California Indian Country, tribal officials such as Ms. Nelson and Mr. Potter have taken actions which have denied and/or stripped thousands of California Indians of the basic rights guaranteed by tribal and federal laws. These very same tribal leaders have escaped prosecution for their gross violations by invoking tribal sovereignty.

If it is the intent of the Department to gain perspective and develop policy regarding tribal justice issues such as civil rights, the Department would be better served by meeting with those who have been victims of the arbitrary and capricious acts of tribal officials.

Moreover, it would be the height of hypocrisy to allow either Ms. Nelson or Mr. Potter to sit on the Council and influence Department policy regarding tribal justice issues when they themselves continue to prosper or retain power as a direct result of actions which have victimized the citizens of Enterprise and Redding Rancheria.

I urge you to deny Ms. Nelson and Mr. Potter’s nomination to the Council and respectfully request that you revise the manner in which the Department will interact with Indian Country to include consultations with those who have had their rights violated and/or stripped by tribal leaders.